The Distribution of Algae, Corals and Gorgonians in Relation to Depth, Light Attenuation, Water Movement and Grazing Pressure in the Fringing Cotral reef of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles
Hoek CV, Breeman AM, Bak RM, Buurt CV. 1978. The Distribution of Algae, Corals and Gorgonians in Relation to Depth, Light Attenuation, Water Movement and Grazing Pressure in the Fringing Cotral reef of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Aquatic Botany. 5:1-46
The south-west coast of Cura~ao (Netherlands Antilles) is lined by a rich fringing coral reef, the surface of which forms a submarine plateau mostly 30-100 m broad with a steep slope in front of it. Both plateau and slope are covered. by rich living coral and algal communities. The zonation of coral, gorgonian, and algal species in two 5 m broad transects perpendicular to the coast line was investigated down to about 40 m depth (with a few observations down to 65 m), using a phytosociological method. Transect I (Figs. 1 and 2) was situated in a relatively sheltered bight, and transect II in front of a relatively exposed cape (Figs. 1 and 3). In transect II, water movement [as measured by Doty's (1971) diffusion factor] was appreciably higher than in transect I, at least down to a depth of about 20m (Fig. 12).
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Hoek, C.; Breeman, A.; Bak, R.P.; Buurt, C.
- Units
- BISC
- Keywords
- angiosperm, Breeding, Bud, dioecious, flower, Growth, Habitat, Hydrocharitaceae, Post-anthesis, Propagation, Reproduction, Seagrass, Sexual, Tampa Bay, Thalassia testudinum, Vegetation